Russell Sanders writes, "we went to Hollister Grill (1741 Hollister) on Valentine's Day. Several weeks before, I emailed (owner) Chuck Pritchett to inquire about the Valentine's Day menu. I was told that the menu was not formulated yet but that it would likely be similar to past Valentine's menus: a three-course meal with champagne - at a similar cost. I made a reservation.

"(On Feb. 14) we arrived 10 minutes early to see the staff still decorating the place ... We were seated but told the menus hadn't arrived yet.

"Bread was (served). It was delicious and we ate the entire plate. Then the server brought out a dip for the bread. Although it had been 10 minutes since she brought out the bread, she seemed confused that we had already eaten it. She brought more.

"Eventually, a soup was (served), then a salad. We still didn't know what was on the menu, just being surprised along the way. ...

"It was time for entrées, so our server brought a table card that had been on tables during the week to announce the Valentine's menu. We chose our entrées, still not having a clue as to what this was costing us. Chuck Pritchett came barreling in 20 minutes later, and he immediately started passing out Xeroxed menus. ...

"As each course was cleared and another served, we had to ask for more utensils to eat with. When the dessert was put before us, it was an assortment of cookies covered with gooey sauces. When we asked for spoons or forks, the server ... chastised us for asking, albeit jokingly.

"... Total with tip: $160. I had expected to pay almost that much, and I had expected the food to be excellent, which it was. But Valentine's Day dinner is supposed to be a romantic evening, especially in a fine-dining establishment that costs a budget-stretching amount. (I expected) impeccable service in a place that is prepared.

"I emailed Chuck Pritchett with all this. I deliberately offered my comments as constructive criticism because we have loved Hollister Grill in the past ... My email was ignored ...

"Oh, there was no champagne served, and although we had been there before, we were unaware that the restaurant was BYOB, so our special-occasion dinner was not accompanied by wine."

Feedback

I reached out to Pritchett, who said he felt a formal reply would sound defensive. (And regular Whine & Dine readers know that some "apologies" printed in this space do come across as defensive.)

The owner remembered the couple and had been a part of the team that waited on them.

He was disappointed that the evening didn't live up to the couple's expectations but emphasized that Hollister Grill has never billed itself as "fine dining." Pritchett said the restaurant was offering complimentary glasses of champagne with dessert that evening but Sanders never requested it.

I would say to the owner: Ignoring a note from a customer is probably the biggest "oops" in Sanders' letter. A short, thoughtful "I'm sorry" likely would have stopped the public airing of grievances.

I would say to the diner: Manage your expectations. In your notes to the owner, you used the words "delicious" and "great" twice to describe the food (bread, soup and dessert). You described a salad as "great" and called the entrées "superb." I can't recall the last time I had a meal that deserved as many superlatives.

Yes, it sounds as though service wasn't perfect. But by your own admission you wanted "impeccable" service. That's a very high bar on a holiday when restaurants are notoriously busy.

This reader's forum is a chance to become a restaurant critic or ask other dining-wise readers for suggestions. Letters may be emailed to syd@29-95.com or mailed to Syd Kearney, P.O. Box 4260, Houston, TX 77210. Please print your full name and a daytime phone number.

Syd Kearney has been working in newspaper newsrooms since she was 18. Among her many roles: working in sports department for the Beaumont Enterprise, editing and designing the lifestyle pages for the Houston Post and roaming the world for 10 years as the travel writer for the Houston Chronicle. For the past five years, Syd has reported on restaurant and nightlife news for the Houston Chronicle's weekly entertainment magazine Preview (home to the popular Whine & Dine column).

A native of Beaumont, Tx., Syd attended Lamar University. She resides in Houston with her special-needs beagle and her "boyfriend" of 25 years.